Engineering apprentice Review

My role is to help with the day to day maintenance of each of the chemical plants. We go on placements around different plants on site. The job includes carrying out routine maintenance which is preventitive maintenance as well as helping when there are break downs on the plant which can sometimes stop production.

All of the skills that I have which are engineering related I have learned during my apprenticeship as I didnt have any previous experience. As well as this I have developed skills that are applicable for life in any workplace such as organisation and time keeping as well as learning what the atmosphere is like in a workplace.

There are multiple elements to my apprenticeship however I do enjoy most of them. I don't enjoy college as much as I enjoy being at work however I enjoy each day at work for different reasons. A lot of the time its the people who make work enjoyable however I always also enjoy the learning experience.

My placement program is extremely well organised on plant with me always knowing what is required site wide as well as what is just required for the apprentices. However it is not as good at college as there is a lack of structure and organisation meaning i have fallen behind in some aspects.

I receive a lot of support from my employer. This includes the people i work with on a daily basis such as my mentors and the process workers. As well as the placement managers. However i also get support from the apprentice managers that are on site for anything I need.

There has been a lack of support from the college with regards to my studies which is down to the lack of tutors and leadership. Especially with my BTEC work. However it has been better with regards to my NVQ work as my learning assessor is proactive and is always available to help.

I think it helps as it helps me understand some of the decisions that are made such as when materials are selceted. It has only recently started to feel like this when I have started to be more involved in a decision making process with the support of others on plant with more experience than me.

There are a lot of different so social and fundraising events that everyone on site gets involved in. These are known as community engagement events. As well as this there are a few sporting events such as a charity football match. As well as there being annual social events for colleauges to socialise in a less formal environment.

Yes

Its a lovely environment with people who was to help you. As well as this there is a lot of support and a full employment contract from day one which means the company is fully invested in you. As well as this everyone is very good to work with on site.

Put as much as you can onto your CV and make sure you prepare for the interview. Its not something you can do half heartedly. Make sure you do your research on the company and have good questions to ask at the end of your interview that challenge the interviewer.